Kera Birkeland is an American politician, educator, and coach from Utah. She currently serves as the representative for Utah House District 4. She is on the Executive Offices and Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, House Education Committee, and House Judiciary Committee.[2] Birkeland replaced Logan Wilde in April 2020, and was elected to a full term in 2020, with 64 percent of the vote.[3]
Kera Birkeland | |
|---|---|
 Birkeland at the 2022 Hazlitt Summit hosted by Young Americans for Liberty Foundation | |
| Member of the Utah House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office April 16, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Logan Wilde |
| Constituency | 53rd district (2020–2023) 4th district (2023–present) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kera V. Yates[1] 1982 or 1983 (age 41–42) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Lars Birkeland |
| Children | 5 |
| Residence | Morgan, Utah |
Life
editBirkeland was home taught between 1983-2000.[4] She is an accomplished pianist and performed “Colors of the Wind” at the Miss Montana Beauty Pageant in 2001. [5]
Birkeland later attended Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. In a 2017 blog post on her personal business website she wrote that she “graduated from BYU.” [6] In 2020 interview with Utah Policy,[7] Birkeland said she “attended BYU the summer of 2001 and 2002.” Birkeland’s personal LinkedIn page reflects the 2001-2002 dates.[8] The State of Utah lists her education as “BYU.”[9]
Prior to election, she competed in the 2012 Mrs. Utah pageant[10] and served as a delegate at the Republican National Convention in the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, representing Ted Cruz.
She expressed distaste toward Donald Trump at the time.[11] Birkeland reported being threatened in the bathroom by other female[12] Trump supporters who allegedly told her "you should die" after disagreements regarding floor proceedings.[13]
In January 2021, Birkeland introduced a resolution to honor Utah Jazz player Donovan Mitchell over retired player Shaquille O'Neal, as well as to make 'Spida' (Mitchell's nickname) the state arachnid of Utah. The resolution passed.[14]
Legislative Work
editDuring the 2021 legislative session, Birkeland led efforts and introduced a bill to ban female transgender athletes from high school sports in Utah.[15] This was vetoed by Republican Utah Governor Spencer Cox but passed with a supermajority in the legislature in a subsequent vote after proponents flipped ten votes in the state house and five in the senate.[16] The law currently faces ongoing litigation led by the ACLU of Utah.[17]
In August, a state judge issued an injunction stopping enforcement of the ban, but left the rest of the bill in effect, meaning that transgender girls can seek permission from the commission to play on girls high school sports teams.[18]
The names of the minor age athletes and the resulting rulings brought by parents to the board, are confidential under Utah government records law.[19] On February 7, 2024, Birkeland revealed that 4[20] student athletes had petitioned the Utah sports commission and all 4 had been denied in closed session.[21]
References
edit- ^ "Kera Yates Birkeland (@kera_birkeland) • Instagram photos and videos".
- ^ "Rep. Birkeland, Kera - Utah House of Representatives". house.utah.gov. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- ^ "Utah State House - District 53 Election Results". usatoday.com. USA Today. November 3, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- ^ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerabirkelandutah
- ^ “9 Vie for Miss Montana Title Tonight,” Billings Gazette, June 29, 2001
- ^ https://customlds.com/blogs/lds-marriage/a-mothers-prideful-heart?srsltid=AfmBOorPmMt6Qnb3qPJkE3LmJzivyAQbobwc3sNMNYhU3HsAUfGQ-Xpv
- ^ https://utahpolicy.com/archive/25424-policymaker-profile-getting-to-know-kera-birkeland
- ^ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerabirkelandutah
- ^ https://house.utleg.gov/rep/BIRKEK/
- ^ "Mrs. Utah, U.S. Beyond Foster Care Platform". FundRazr. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
- ^ "Meet the RNC Delegate: Kera Birkeland". Cleveland Magazine. July 12, 2016.
- ^ McBride, Jessica (July 19, 2016). "Kera Birkeland: Was Utah Delegate Threatened By Trump Supporters?". Heavy.com. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
- ^ "'You should die': Trump supporters threaten Utah delegate, she says, at Republican National Convention". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
- ^ Larsen, Andy (January 26, 2021). "Resolution 'honoring Donovan Mitchell over Shaquille O'Neal' passes in Utah House of Representatives by 67-5 vote". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- ^ "Transgender athlete bill to return for 2022 Utah Legislature". AP News. AP. May 26, 2021.
- ^ Winslow, Ben (March 22, 2022). "Utah's governor vetoes transgender sports bill, legislature will override". KSTU.
- ^ "Roe v. Utah High School Activities Association (2022)". ACLU of Utah. June 1, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "2022 in the news: Here are the top Utah stories of the year". Deseret News. December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Utah Code Section 63G-2-801". le.utah.gov. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
- ^ "Utah lawmaker could face charges for violating law she herself crafted". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
- ^ Tanner, Courtney (February 7, 2024). "Utah school board member Natalie Cline questions high school athlete's gender, causing social media uproar". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
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